The Cal Poly Health Center is teaming up with the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department to provide students with free flu vaccinations on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lobby of the Recreation Center.
The Health Center usually offers flu shots to students for around $16, however, they are able to provide them for free at this clinic because of their partnership with the Public Health Department, according to the Health Center’s Director of Wellbeing and Health Education Genie Kim.
In order to receive a free flu shot, students must present their PolyCard. The free vaccines are on a first come, first serve basis.
Students can also get these free flu vaccines at the Health Center during regular nursing hours — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8-11 a.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. and Wednesday 9-11 a.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. This will continue until supplies last.
“Vaccines are safe. They protect us from those diseases that used to kill people,” Health Center Medical Director Aaron Baker said. “It’s so much easier to get a little flu shot and maybe have a little sore arm for the day than to be sick for a week and miss a week’s worth of classes.”
The shot contains several strains of flu that could be active this year. There are four strains of the flu right now, Baker said.
However, the flu vaccine is also not guaranteed to prevent someone from contracting the virus, Baker said.
“The flu vaccine does not make you sick,” Baker said. “You can feel a little bit achy afterwards, but I think a lot of people complain that they went to the clinic, got a flu shot and now they have the flu. Well, who else was in the clinic? A bunch of sick people.”
Weekly updates and additional information about this year’s flu virus can be found at the Center for Disease Control’s website.